High Court strikes out rules giving CA powers on television content

Parliamentary journalists follow proceedings during debate in Parliament on the Security Amendment Bill. [File, Standard]

The High Court has declared sections of the law that give the Communication Authority sweeping powers to control content aired by media houses in Kenya.

While terming the move by the government as censorship and a violation of media freedom, High Court Judge Lawrence Mugambi invalidated the broadcasting code.

“Governmental control or censorship through giving of directions to media content and as to how and when content should be aired is adversative to the independence and freedom of media from governmental control and is against the principles of a free and independent media under Article 34,” the judge ruled.